Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is where Malaysians go to wear a jacket. At around 1,500 metres up in Pahang, it’s much cooler than the lowlands, with rolling tea estates, vegetable and strawberry farms, and old forest trails.

Why go

• The cool weather. Daytime is comfortable and nights get properly cool. A nice break if you’ve been sweating in KL or Penang.
• Tea estates. The rows of tea bushes covering the hills are one of the most photographed views in Malaysia.
• Easy nature. Short jungle trails and the Mossy Forest without needing to be a serious hiker.

What to do

Visit a tea estate

Visit one of the tea estates for the views, a factory tour and a pot of tea with scones on a terrace overlooking the plantation. Go in the morning before the mist lifts and the tour buses arrive.

Mossy Forest

An ancient, misty cloud forest near Gunung Brinchang, with moss and ferns covering everything. A boardwalk makes part of it easy to see. Go with a guided tour as access and road conditions change.

Farms and markets

Strawberry farms, flower nurseries and the Brinchang night market (weekends are busiest). Touristy but fun, especially with kids.

Jungle trails

Several numbered trails start near Tanah Rata. Some are short and easy. Others are steep and muddy. Ask locally about current conditions before heading out, and never hike alone.

What to eat

• Steamboat. A hot pot is the classic Cameron dinner, and makes sense in the cool air.
• Scones and tea. A colonial-era hangover that has stuck around for good reason.
• Fresh veg and strawberries. Much of Malaysia’s vegetables are grown here.

Getting there and around

• By road: About 3.5 to 4 hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur, via Tapah or Simpang Pulai. The last stretch is winding, so take motion-sickness tablets if you need them.
• By bus: Express buses run from KL and Penang to Tanah Rata.
• Getting around: Tanah Rata is walkable. For the estates and Mossy Forest, take a tour or use a car.

Where to stay

Tanah Rata is the most convenient base, with restaurants and bus connections. Brinchang is a little further up.

When to go

It’s cool all year, and rain is common, especially in the afternoons. Pack a light jacket and something waterproof whatever the month.